System and method for electronic road signs with in-car display capabilities

Abstract

The present invention is method and system for delivering road sign content information to a mobile computing device for display to the driver of a vehicle. The system consists of a wireless communication network in communication with a mobile computing device operationally coupled to a dashboard display device or a vehicle head's up display device. The wireless communication network further comprises a plurality of meshed network sign transmitting devices placed along predetermined intervals along the highway. Each sign-transmitting device is capable of transmitting road sign content information to the mobile computing device for display to the driver.

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       20 . In a wireless communication network comprising a plurality of wireless road sign transmitters in communication with a mobile computing device located, a system of delivering road sign content to the mobile computing devices within vehicles, the system comprising:
 a road sign transmitter for continuously broadcasting signals onto the wireless communication network a message containing specific road sign content information;   a computing device within a vehicle for continuously monitoring, a wireless communication network for signals being broadcast over the network, the broadcasted signals coming from road sign transmitters;   a receiver within the computing device for capturing the message from the wireless communication network, when a signal is in range of the mobile computing device;   a means within the computing device for interpreting the message to determine the road sign content information; and   for a predetermined time period, a display for displaying contents of a road sign contained in the captured message.   
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the mobile computing device is a hand-held computing device. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 20  further comprises an interface for securing the mobile computing device into a computing system manufactured as part of the vehicle. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the means for interpreting has the ability to retrieve from the message a set of attributes that identify the specific type of road sign to be displayed. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 20  further comprises a device to activate a backup sign transmitter to replace a deactivated sign transmitter. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the displaying means further comprises a display for redisplaying the message for a predetermined period of time. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 20  further comprises an input means for accepting a user request to filter and display a specific type of message. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the displaying means further comprises a means for displaying the road sign based upon the user request. 
   
   
       28 . The system  claim 20  further comprising:
 a means for providing a remote server in communication with the plurality of sign transmitters;   a means for continuously monitoring the plurality of sign transmitters to determine their status; and   if a sign transmitter malfunctions, a means for issuing an error notification.